Drum.



No. 793,399. PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

I W. J. F. SCHULTZ.

DRUM.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 14.1905.

his aizz'ow g UNITED STATES Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT OEEicE.

DRUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,399, dated June 27, 1905.

Application filed April 14,1905. Serial No. 255,509.

To (all whom, it 77711, concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. F. SCHULTZ, a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drums, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to drums, and more particularly to straining devices for adjusting the drumheads to vary the tension thereof.

In straining devices for drums a desideratum is to provide devices which are simple in construction and which increase the weight of the drum as little as possible, since even a slight increase in the weight of the drum fatigues the drummer, particularly when the instrument must be carried by the drummer.

One object of the invention is to provide a construction of straining rods or devices in which the metallic straining devices are simple and light.

Another advantage of the invention is to provide a drum embodying straining devices of an improved construction.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth, and more particularly described by claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a drum embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a portion of the drum. Fig. 3 shows the shape of a blank from which a strainer rod and hook are formed. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of one of the strainer-rods.

The drum comprises a shell 10, provided with inner liner-hoops 11, drumheads 12, secured to flesh-hoops 13, and outer drum-hoops 14, having their inner edges adapted to hold the flesh-hoops in desired position and to maintain desired tension upon the drumheads. All of said parts may be of usual construction, as well understood in the art.

Straining devices in desired number, whereby drum-hoops 14 are held in position and against the flesh-hoops and whereby the fleshhoops-oan be adjusted, comprise rods 15 and 16, having their inner ends respectively provided with right and left screw-threads 17 and 18, which are adapted to engage corresponding female threads of a turnbuckle or coupling 19. The turnbuckle or coupling 19 by rotation serves to draw together or force apart the straining-rods. At each end coupling 19 is preferably provided with an opening 20, which is not screw-threaded, for the purpose of concealing the screw-threaded ends of the straining-rods.

Each straining-rod 15 and 16 is provided at its outer end with a hook 21, adapted to extend over and engage the outer edge of the drum-hoop, so that the straining-rods when forced together will draw the drum-hoops and flesh-hoops together. Each straining-rod is formed of a single piece of sheet metal (shown in Fig. 3) and bent to form hook 21 and a strengthening-rib 22, which extends around to the end of the hook and which materially stiifens the hook. The screw-threaded end of each strainer-rod is bent into cylindrical form. The fiat portion 23 of each straining-rod fits snugly against the outer side of the drum-hoop. It will thus be seen that the cylindrical portion is hollow and that the screw-threaded ends of the rods are formed of a thin piece of metal, thus providing a straining device which is simple and which in weight is materially less than the straining devices for drums heretofore used, in which solid rods have been used. Furthermore, the device can be produced at a low cost, and the hook for the drum-hoop and the rod for the screw-threaded end thereon are integrally formed, thus dispensing with connection between the hook and the straining-rod. Furthermore, the cylindrical portion of the rod is arranged so as to lie' snugly against the outer side of the drum and flesh hoops, so that the strains are exerted close to the hoops.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a drum the combination of drumheads and drum-hoops whereby the heads can be adjusted, of straining devices comprising rods formed of strips of sheet metal bent to form a hook at one end, and a hollow round portion at the other end of the rods, and couplings for connecting the rods.

2. In a drum the combination with drumi I i heads and drum-hoops whereby theheads can be adjusted, o'l straining devices comprising rods formed of sheet metal having one of their ends bent to form a hook for engaging one of the drum-hoops and their other ends bent to form a round portion and having screw threads on said round portions, and couplings for connecting the rods.-

3. In a drum the combination with drun1- heads and drum-hoops whereby the heads can be adjusted, of straining devices comprising rods formed of sheet metal bent to form a hook at one end of the rod, a rib extending around to the end of the hook and a round por- 

